On November 23 2009, 6th grade students from the Kreuz Lutheran Gymnasium planted trees in the Lausitz
region near Ohorn. The project “Kreuz for Wilderness” has two objectives. First, oak trees planted in this
clear cut forest will be permanently maintained achieving an ecologically sound use of the forest.
Students can better study the forest and set an example for the protection of our natural resources.
Secondly, the students have recruited sponsors who are willing donate - for each planted tree - toward
the establishment of a nature reserve. The area to be purchased is located in one of the most threatened
natural areas on Earth; the temperate rainforest in Canada, which is directly threatened by deforestation.

The Kreuzgymnasium works closely with Wilderness International on this project.

Stephan Hürten

Two students from the Kreuzgymnasium describe their impressions of tree planting:

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Helene Reimann

"We, the class 6/3 of the Kreuz Lutheran School Dresden, met on 23.11.2009 at 8.00 o’clock
in our classroom to take the bus into the forest at Ohorn in Kleinröhrsdorf.
With the assistance of Kai Andersch from Wilderness International, our biology teacher
Mr. Hürten and our German teacher Mr. Körner, we went to reforest the woods with young oak trees.
In the previous weeks we had recruited sponsors who pledged a small donation for each tree planted.
These donations would be sent to Canada, where the forest is being threatened by clear cuts,
in order to buy a piece of the forest, so it will not be destroyed.

We arrived by bus in Kleinröhrsdorf and met with the forester Anke Findeisen and the rangers Lutz
Daubner and Rainer Berthold of Sachsenforst. There was a short walk to the forest.

There Ms. Findeisen explained how we would work, and how the day would be organized.
We got T-shirts with the slogan "Take a Walk for the Wild." Then we stood in a circle
and were divided into two groups. The so-called “rock” group first went to the forest
ranger in the forest, while I, as a member of the “mushroom” group, made my way to the forest area.
There we left our bags and backpacks and climbed over the fence boundary, which is there to
protect the area with the small seedlings from animals.
We took so-called Göttingen planting bikes - they look something like spades – with us.
The rangers showed us how to plant the seedlings and off we went.

After an hour of hard work, our group was finished. We were allowed to rest for five minutes.
Then we went into the forest with the forest ranger. We found a spider's nest,
a Eichengall wasp and many other things of nature. While the “rock” group did their planting,
we collected small dry branches and put them into a small pyre.

When the “rock” group finished, they came to the forest road junction where the fire flared brightly.
We had barbecued sausages on it. There was ketchup, bread and tea.

After four hours in the forest we took the bus back to school.

We want to thank Wilderness International, which has been very supportive of us,
for transferring the rainforest donations to Canada for us."

Lena Schröter

Do know what "planting bicycles" are? I did not
know this until recently, but now I know that these
are tools similar to spades, where the handle looks
like the handlebars of a bicycle.

And I found out this during the following field trip:

On 11/23/2009 we went to the village
Kleinröhrsdorf to plant trees. Prior
to our trip, we looked for sponsors. The proceeds go to a rainforest in Canada.
Over there many trees are cut down, but we are able to protect it with the help
of the "Wilderness International Foundation". Anke Findeisen, Lutz Daubner and
Rainer Berthold were the rangers who accompanied us with Kai Andersch,
a member of “Wilderness International” and the two teachers, Mr. Körner and Mr. Hürten!
We planted about 1500 trees and raised more than 1000 €!

Before the planting, we all got T-Shirts from
Wilderness International.. Then we stood in a
circle and the rangers alternately passed out
mushrooms and stones, so there was a “stone”
group and a “mushroom” group. Then we went to
the area of forest we wanted to replant. I was
in the “stone” group, and therefore the first
to go into the forest. As long as we were in
the forest, the “mushroom” group diligently planted.
In the forest we discovered many interesting things,
for example, many different types of moss and the
forest ranger explained all sorts of things to us.
When we came back to the forest planting area, the
“mushroom” group was already very far with the
planting. Now it was our turn. The “mushroom”
group went with the ranger into the forest and
we got to work! We were divided into groups of
two and started immediately.

The ground was very damp and smelled almost musty.
We now grabbed the „planting bycicles“ and seedlings.

One of the foresters explained us how to plant
the trees. One person had to jump on the
„planting bicycle“and the other one had to put
the small tree in the hole that resulted.
We did this for an hour. Then we went to a clearing
and made a fire there. Of course the forester
was also present! We ate sausages and rolls
and drank tea.

The beautiful day was already over and we went back
to school by train and tram. I hope we can have such
a beautiful day again soon